Imperfect Love
by Rashby
Summary: Sometimes in life, you don't realise what you have until you lose it. AU. Rated T to be on the safe side.
1. Prologue

**Imperfect Love**

_Prologue_

That single tear said more than any words ever could.

The deep and torturous ache within her heart, breaking down her carefully constructed walls, tearing into the very fabric of her soul, only strengthened her resolve. He would hurt her no longer. No longer would she feel this unfulfilled burning desire she had towards him.

She closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment to feel the warmth of the tears she had shed.

A 25 year old Franziska von Karma sat on her kitchen floor, her back against the wall, a knife in her hand. The once perfect prosecutor, strong and confident, was now broken and insecure. A tear stained photograph of Miles Edgeworth lay on her lap.

After all the years of yearning; after all the tears she had shed for him as she watched him lavish his attention on other women, her heart could take it no longer.

Carefully she removed her faithful leather gloves, one at a time. She placed them on the floor beside her, coiling her whip and laying it on top. She ran her slender gloveless fingers over the cool, comforting leather of her whip one last time. Unpinning her broach, she placed it carefully onto the pile, leaving only one thing left to do.

Taking a pen from her pocket and bringing it to the photo, she wrote her final message.

"I Love You Miles Edgeworth"

She laid the photo on the top of the pile and rested her head back against the wall. Love. Such an imperfect emotion. It tells the tale of happiness and contentment but brings only heartache and sorrow.

Her breathing grew steadily quicker as she wrapped her fingers tighter around her release. All her life she had strived for perfection, for the acceptance of her father, for a chance to prove herself worthy of Miles Edgeworth's affection. And now, with a knife in her hand she is finally ready to free herself from all of her failures, desires and imperfections.

Shedding one final tear, Franziska drew the blade across her wrist.

"Ah!"

Now shaking slightly, she took the knife into her now blood stained hand and drew the blade across her other wrist before dropping it to the floor.

As the warmth left her body, Franziska closed her eyes and leant her head back against the wall one last time. She could feel the pain deep inside of her ebb as the life giving fluid ran from her, spilling onto the floor.

She could feel herself growing weaker with every passing minute. As the blood pooled around her, Franziska's skin grew cold.

Finally, she was at peace.

* * *

**A/N: All characters belong to Capcom. Ok, for any of you that have been following my other fic Forsaken, I apologise! I've had some SERIOUS writers block on that one, but I will finish it! Until then, enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

It had been a long day for Miles Edgeworth. His perfectly straight forward case, instead of being over in an hour or two, had been drawn out over the entire day thanks to the incompetence of one certain detective.

Miles silently cursed this day under his breath as he sped along the freeway. Due to the trial running late, Miles had been forced to stay at the office late in order to finish his days' work.

"Of all days to be late!"

Sitting carefully on the passenger's seat was a small box, wrapped in tasteful paper and finished with a bow. Today was Franziska von Karma's 25th birthday and Miles Edgeworth had promised to take her out to dinner at 7pm sharp. Miles looked at the clock on his dashboard, silently cursing as he realised it was now after midnight.

Under normal circumstances, Miles might have expected Franziska to understand and accept his reasons for his delay. However, this was the first time in over 10 years Miles and Franziska had been in the same country, and able to celebrate her birthday. Franziska was going to be angry and he knew it.

"I hope you don't have high expectations for your next salary review Detective Gumshoe." Miles muttered to himself.

It was 12.45 before Miles arrived outside the apartment of Franziska von Karma. Taking a deep breath and preparing himself for the inevitable sting of Franziska's whip, he knocked on her door. Much to his dismay, there was no answer.

"Franziska…"

He called to her through the door before knocking again.

Still there was no answer.

"Franziska, ignoring me won't solve anything. Let me in so we can talk this over."

Miles waited patiently for a reply. 10 minutes passed in silence so Miles decided to take matters into his own hands. Ever since they started working in the same office, Miles and Franziska had a copy of each other's front door key. It was, of course, for purely professional reasons. If there was a particularly important case file that the other needed, they would leave it in their apartment for them. Franziska had always made it clear that, under no circumstances, the key should be used for any other purpose. Still, Miles needed to talk to her, to try and make up for his broken promise. Feeling it best to clear the air, sooner rather than later, Miles took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the entrance to Franziska's apartment.

"Franziska?"

He called out to her again as he stepped through the threshold, closing the door behind him. Miles placed the gift on the glass coffee table in the middle of the room before calling out again.

"Franziska, I know you're home."

He knew this for two reasons. One, her car had been parked outside of the apartment block when he had arrived. Two, her cell phone was still sitting on the coffee table, and Franziska never left her apartment without her cell.

Miles sighed. Why did she have to be so stubborn? He took another deep breath in, this time his senses hit with an all too familiar scent. Blood.

"Franziska?"

Wasting no further time, Miles made his way through the living room and into the kitchen, searching every room he passed. The sight that greeted his eyes as he entered the kitchen froze Miles Edgeworth to the spot. The lifeless body of Franziska von Karma lay in front of him, slumped against the wall, surrounded by a pool of blood. Unable to move from the sheer shock of his discovery, Miles was helpless to do anything other than stare at the mortal remains of his sister.

Deep inside of him, Miles felt his heart drop as the reality of the situation gradually sunk in. It wasn't until a faint gurgling sound reached his ears that Miles found he was able to react. Instinctively he ran forward to his sister, taking her in his arms.

"Franziska!"

The panic quivered through his voice as his fingertips brushed against Franziska's ice cold skin.

"Franziska, wake up!"

All too fast panic was consuming him as he desperately searched Franziska's body for any signs of life.

"HELP!"

Miles shouted at the top of his voice.

"SOMEBODY HELP!"

As Miles clung tightly onto his sister's body, a familiar voice answered his cries for help.

"Hello? I heard someone shouting."

Trying the front door to find it unlocked, Adrian Andrews made her way into Franziska's apartment.

"A-adrian! "

Miles called out to her, desperation saturating every note of his voice.

"Mr Edgeworth? What's wrong?"

She made her way hastily into the kitchen, letting out a scream at the sight of a blood stained Miles Edgeworth holding Franziska's body.

"H-help!"

Adrian, like Miles had been, was frozen to the spot, unable to process what was going on. Franziska had always been a good friend to Adrian, even offering her blessing when Miles expressed an interest in pursuing a romance with Adrian and being there for her when it all fell through. Through everything, Franziska had always been so strong, her rock, her support. Adrian had never once imagined that anything like this would ever happen.

"A-adrian help, she needs help!"

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, this is another short one. I'm hoping to make my chapters longer in the future! Hopefully it's not too OCC!**


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

_*knock knock*_

"_Enter"_

_Franziska von Karma was an extremely hard worker. Despite the clock reading several hours past midnight she was still in her office pouring over the case file for an up and coming trial. It was in her nature to ensure everything would be perfect, every angle figured out, every possible question answered. As such, she did not tolerate being interrupted. Miles Edgeworth made his way into the young prosecutor's office. _

_Franziska looked up to find that he was not alone, instead accompanied by a woman._

"_Ms Andrews?"_

"_H-hello Franziska." Adrian replied sheepishly._

"_What is it that you both need?"_

_Franziska, abandoning her work momentarily, sat back in her chair as she waited for a response. Miles stepped forward to speak._

"_Seeing as you are my sister as well as Adrian's best friend I thought it prudent to inform you first."_

"_Inform me of what?"_

_Franziska surveyed the two guests in an attempt to gain an understanding of what the fool was going on about._

"_Adrian and I have decided to start seeing each other in a romantic capacity."_

_For a few seconds Franziska sat there in silence, her heart dropping as if it were made of lead, a feeling growing in her stomach as if she had just been punched, a lump growing in the back of her throat as the desire to cry crept up on her. She fought hard to keep her composure._

"_You interrupted me with such a trivial matter?"_

"_Well…" Miles started before Adrian interjected._

"_I-I'm sorry Franziska, it's my fault. I wanted your approval before we made it official, the last thing I wanted to do was upset you…"_

_A wave of disbelief washed over Franziska. Her best friend didn't want to upset her, despite the fact Adrian Andrews was at least partly aware of the fondness Franziska had for Miles._

_Adrian looked at Franziska with worried eyes, wondering if she had overstepped her mark. If Franziska didn't approve, she would break it off immediately. After all, she wasn't about to lose her best friend over something as trivial as a crush. _

_Adrian had a crush on Miles Edgeworth, in fact she couldn't think of a single girl who didn't. But for now, it was nothing more than a crush._

"_Ms Andrews, you are capable of making your own choices and do not need to seek my permission to date Miles Edgeworth." She paused for a moment, not wanting to seem callous to her friend, after all it was not her fault Miles had fallen for her. "However, if it settles your worries, I have no objection to you two pursuing a romance together. Now if you don't mind I have work to do."_

_Miles nodded to Franziska._

"_Thank you Franziska, we shall leave you to your work now."_

_With no further words he escorted Adrian Andrews out of Franziska's office, closing the door behind him. The second the door shut a hot tear ran silently down the young prosecutor's cheek. Miles Edgeworth was notoriously popular with the ladies and had many short term relationships, changing girlfriends every few months. This upset Franziska deeply but not because of Miles behaviour as she knew he would a gentleman to all of them. It was the girlfriends that really angered Franziska. They all stayed with him until they'd had their taste of Miles Edgeworth and then they left. Not a single one actually caring for him. Not a single one _

_The single tear had now turned into quiet sobs as the pain that filled her every time she saw him with a new girl, caused her to wrap her arms around herself._

_Nobody knew Miles as well as Franziska did. She knew how to take care of him when he caught a cold, how to calm him down when he got angry even how to help him sleep when nightmares tormented him. She had shared a house with him for several years when she moved over to America, she knew everything there was to know about him and had spent those years together taking care of him with such a level of devotion that nobody else could hope to match._

_She sighed, sobs still breaking through her._

_It seemed that no matter what she did, Miles would never see her as more than a sister. He would never reciprocate the love she felt for him. She had desperately been trying to distance herself from him but every time he spoke to her, Franziska felt her heart flutter at the sound of his silky smooth voice._

_Still, she felt a small amount of happiness for her friend. Adrian had always had poor luck with men, and at least this time Franziska knew she would be treated with the respect she deserved. _

_

* * *

_

_Franziska sighed as she flicked through the channels on her TV. It was a Saturday evening so naturally Franziska has assumed there would be something worth watching. As it turned out she had been wrong. Her thoughts lingered on Miles Edgeworth. He and Adrian had been together for nearly 8 months now. It was the longest relationship Miles had ever had and even though it still pained her, Franziska had come to accept it._

_Franziska sighed as she turned the TV off. She decided she would pass the time with a well-earned bath. As she made her way towards the bathroom, however, there was a knock at the door. Rolling her eyes Franziska walked briskly to the front door. As she opened the door a distraught Adrian Andrews fell straight into her arms holding onto her tightly._

"_Adrian? Is everything ok?"_

_Concern tinged Franziska's voice as she led Adrian into her apartment, sitting with her on the sofa. As Adrian calmed down she looked up at Franziska, her eyes red raw from crying._

"_I-it's Miles…h-he broke up with me…"_

"_He what?"_

_Despite Franziska's desires towards Miles Edgeworth, anger started to swell inside of her._

"_Why?" She demanded._

_Adrian broke down into tears again, sobbing hard into Franziska's shoulder. Franziska did her best to comfort her friend, making her a cup of tea before excusing herself from the room. Franziska walked into her bedroom and, picking up her cell phone, dialled Miles Edgeworth._

_*Ring Ring*_

_*Beep*_

"_Miles Edgeworth…"_

"_Franziska?"_

"_Why did you break up with Adrian?"_

"_So you've heard…."_

"_Answer my question immediately!"_

_Deep inside of her the anger was growing. What a foolish man he was. Adrian was a perfectly adequate woman for him and he just cast her aside like he had to Franziska._

"_*sigh*….Her co-dependency was worse than I had realised. I couldn't cope with it."_

"_Miles Edgeworth you fool! What do you think you have done to her by breaking her dependency on you? You've left her helpless! How DARE you treat one of my friends that way!"_

_Secretly inside, Franziska was screaming at him for treating her this way, but she would never admit her unrequited love for him. Not until her dying day._

"_Franziska, I do not have to justify every single one of my actions to you. Good night."_

_*Beep*_

_He hung up on her._

_In a very rare moment, Franziska swore, before returning to her friend, placing her arm around her._

"_Adrian, you are worth much more than Miles Edgeworth. He is completely oblivious to what he has just lost."_

"_T-thank you Franziska…you've always been here for me…"_

_Once again the blonde woman wrapped her arms around Franziska in a comforting embrace. Franziska was never usually this tolerant, but in this case she understood the pain Adrian was going through._

"_If you would like, you may stay the night. I know how company might help ease the pain a little."_

"_Y-you wouldn't mind?"_

"_No, I know how it feels to have your heart broken…."_

_Franziska wasn't going to say any more than that._

"_I didn't realise….I'd like to stay here tonight…."_

_Franziska nodded_

"_Very well, I shall prepare the sofa for you."_

_Adrian looked at Franziska with admiration in her eyes. How stupid she had been to depend on Miles Edgeworth when the one person she could always rely on was right here._

_

* * *

_

"Miles, the ambulance is on its way."

Still clutching tightly onto Franziska von Karma's body, Miles Edgeworth could do nothing but nod. As Adrian knelt next to Miles to offer him some comfort she noticed the picture sitting on top of Franziska's other effects.

"Miles, I think you should see this…"

Miles looked up from his sister's body to the item Adrian was holding. Keeping a tight hold of Franziska with one arm, he took the photograph from Adrian, studying it closely. As his eyes skimmed over Franziska's final message, Miles felt as if he'd just woken up from a dream. All this time he had spent chasing other women, trying to find the one woman who would complete him, he'd ignored the only woman who could complete him.

"Oh god…Franziska, I am SO sorry…"

* * *

**A/N: Ok, so just for clarification, the Italics are flashbacks! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas :D! Please R&R!**


	4. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

_*Beep*_

"_Fool!"_

_Why Miles Edgeworth insisted on informing Franziska EVERY time he got a new girlfriend was beyond her. Not to mention his tactless charade of pretending not to notice he was the object of almost every woman's desire. As far as Franziska was concerned, the 'perfect gentleman' routine was getting old now. Flirting without appearing to be flirting, that was just plain devious._

_*CRACK*_

_Her whip bit into the empty air before her. God knows it hurt her when he was dating private acquaintances he had met at various functions, but to start dating their professional colleagues, well that was just pour salt into the wound. Speaking of which, Franziska clutched her shoulder as the ache began to well up deep inside it. Removing one of her gloves, Franziska carefully ran her hand under her shirt, gently feeling her way around the scar. She closed her eyes, briefly recounting the events of that day. She would cherish this scar for the rest of her life, the only reminder of the last time Miles had shown any care or affection to her._

_*CRACK*_

_*CRACK*_

_Hot tears streamed down the young prosecutors face. After everything she'd been through, everything they'd been through, finding out that Miles Edgeworth was now dating that immature acolyte, one of the enemies, it burned a hole into her heart._

_*CRACK*_

_*CRACK*_

_*CRACK*_

_As she let her frustrations dictate the ferocity of her lashes, the harder and faster she cast her whip. With each crack serving to fuel Franziska's anger, her concentration started to ebb as all the hurt, the anguish and the anger Miles Edgeworth had caused her began to take over her better judgement. Her lashes grew more violent and more frantic, as if she was trying to cast the pain from her body. It was during this fit of rage it happened._

"_Argh!"_

_Franziska hissed as she felt her face erupt into a firestorm of pain. In her anger she had lost control of her whip causing it to recoil, striking her across the face. Shaking slightly she raised her still un-gloved hand to her face. As her nimble fingers danced across her face they grew warm and moist. _

_She sighed, her anger dissipating quickly, replaced by disappointment. She made her way into her bathroom to retrieve her first aid kit. _

_As she mopped the blood from her face she gazed longingly at her reflection. Obviously she was missing something if Miles Edgeworth took no notice of her. Was she not beautiful? Did he despise the way she dressed? Was it her Father?_

"_Why am I not good enough for him?"_

_Franziska let out another, longer, sigh. Only Miles Edgeworth was capable of making her display such foolish behaviour. She fought so hard for him, just to be a part of his life, and he never noticed. _

_After finishing clearing up the slice across her face, Franziska made her way into her kitchen. She'd have to work overtime tomorrow, get in early and leave late, staying in her office all day so no-one would see the mess she'd made. But still, at least it would keep her away from that fool. She cast a quick glance at her calendar, double checking she wasn't due in court today._

"_Ack!"_

_As her eyes came to rest on the desired date, she could clearly see three words written in her perfectly crafted script._

_**Visit Papa's grave.**_

_It was the anniversary of her father's execution tomorrow, how could she have forgotten? Franziska would never forgive her father for what he did to Miles Edgeworth, nor would she forgive him for shunning her because of Miles Edgeworth, but he was still her father and she still had her duty as his daughter to uphold._

_Taking her cell phone from her pocket she made a brief phone call, ordering a wreath to put upon Manfred von Karma's grave when she visited tomorrow. He had been dead for two years now, and Franziska swore that every year she would pay her respects to him, after all he did leave the entirety of his estate and fortunes to her (except for a pistol with one bullet and an accompanying note that read "Do the world a favour", which he had left to Miles Edgeworth)._

_Having nothing else to do this evening, Franziska picked up a large law tome and immersed herself with it._

_

* * *

_

_Franziska bowed her head in silent reverence to her father as she laid the pure white wreath against his tombstone. _

"_I'm sorry Papa. I'm sorry I was not perfect like you taught me to be."_

_Though she would never forgive him for his sins, Franziska had a hard time forgiving herself of her own, and for this she felt the need to apologise to her father. She was the only one left to uphold the von Karma name, her burden, and her cross to bear since her sister had been disowned and had married, and her mother died not long after she was born. Franziska closed her eyes as she knelt in front of the grave, placing her hands on the cold marble stone._

"_Come on Mr Edgeworth!"_

"_How many times must I tell you to call me Miles? We're involved now Maya, it's quite peculiar to address your partner in such a formal way. I digress. As I have told you before, I do not wish to be here!"_

_Franziska looked up at the sound of two familiar voices only to see Miles Edgeworth being pulled by his sleeve towards Franziska by one Maya Fey. _

"_But Miles! He was your mentor! You HAVE to pay your respects! If you don't, I'll channel him!"_

_Franziska watched as Miles froze, her own temper rising at what had just been said._

"_T-that's ok Maya! No need to do anything THAT drastic, I'll pay my respects! God knows, we're better off without him walking this earth."_

"_That's more like it! And afterwards you can buy me burgers and I might just consider trading my Ultra Rare Steel Samurai card with you!"_

_Miles chuckled before bending down and kissing Maya softly. Franziska watched in horror. It was the first time she'd seen Miles Edgeworth kiss another woman and it tore through her like the bullet had torn through her shoulder. She bit her lip hard, forcing the tears back, allowing her anger to rise again._

"_Miss von Karma!"_

_She heard Maya call out to her as she bounded over to her._

"_I didn't expect to see you here! I though you hated Mr von Karma?"_

"_That is none of your business."_

_Franziska's tone was sharp and clipped. She was not about to discuss her relationship with her father, and especially not to this girl._

"_Franziska? What are you doing here?"_

"_I could ask the same of you Miles Edgeworth."_

_Franziska was seething inside. How dare he show up here, he had no right to be here._

"_Maya insisted I come along, she threated to channel him if I didn't."_

"_So I heard."_

_Franziska's grip was tightening on her whip._

"_Well as you might well imagine I don't want to be here, but I just can't say no to Maya, she's far too cute."_

"_Awww Mr Edg….Miles! You're making me blush!"_

_Miles stepped forward, placing the unloaded pistol and the note onto the grave before offering his final message to his mentor._

"_Manfred von Karma, from this moment onwards I will have nothing more to do with you. I want no connections to you ever again. Though I may have become a prosecutor by your hand, I now follow this path by my own hand. I bid you farewell and as I leave this place, I leave behind all memories of you and every connection I have to you and your so called perfection."_

_Franziska did not swear very often, but it seemed Miles Edgeworth just had a knack of bringing out that kind of anger in her._

_*CRACK*_

"_BASTARD!"_

_Tears were streaming down Franziska's face as she turned her back on Miles Edgeworth, throwing her whip down onto her father's grave and storming off, trying to make sense of what he'd just said. He wanted to cut all of his ties to her father. Well you couldn't get a bigger reminder of her father than herself. _

_She didn't stop to see if could still see her as she started to run. She wanted to get as far away from this place as possible. _

_It had barely been two months since he'd split up with Adrian Andrews and Franziska's last argument with him because of it. Her heart felt like he had stabbed her and was now twisting the knife._

_As thoughts of her entire life flashed through her mind, Franziska found herself running faster and further, through backstreets and unfamiliar alleyways, trying to get away from the pain inside of her. It started raining as Franziska found herself deep in the heart of the cities slums realising she was lost._

_She took her cell phone out of her pocket and dialled Detective Gumshoe._

_*Beep Beep Beep*_

_No signal. Franziska's hand automatically moved to her hip to grab her whip before realising she no longer had it with her. Vulnerable, heartbroken and utterly alone, the great Franziska von Karma fell to her knees, he clothes becoming sodden in the rain._

* * *

Miles could hear sirens approaching. It had been 4 minutes since Adrian had called for an ambulance and the signs of life he had witnessed previously had seemingly gone. As the sirens grew louder Miles tried hard to remember his last words to Franziska.

* * *

**A/N: As there has been some confusion, this is not a short story, it just isn't finished yet. I get the feel this story will be around 10 chapters long depending on the ending. **

**As for the ending, I already have my own plans for the ending but I want to know what you think! Should Franziska live and have a happily ever after with Miles? OR Should Franziska die and Miles be left to live with the consequences and his conscience? (As I already said, I have the ending planned out already, but depending on the feedback i get, I may write 2 endings and keep everyone happy :D)  
**

**As always I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you for taking the time out to read it! **

**Hope you all have a brilliant Christmas and a Wonderful New Year! :D  
**


	5. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

"_I don't know how many times you wish me to repeat myself Franziska. I gave you my word that I would take you to dinner for your birthday and I intend to honour my word."_

"_Yes, well, we both remember the last time you gave me your word on something."_

_Subconsciously Franziska's hand rose to touch her shoulder._

"_Franziska, that was over 5 years ago, would you let it go!"_

"_I was a fool to believe you then, and I'd be a fool to believe you now Miles Edgeworth."_

"_*sigh*"_

_Her thoughts lingered on that memory. She had been due to appear in court to prosecute the Matt Engarde case when she was shot on the steps of the courthouse. Miles Edgeworth had accompanied her in order to watch the high profile case, and when the shot rang out he had instinctively made a move to protect Franziska, but to his horror he saw her fall to the ground in front of him. It was in those moments when Franziska was at her most vulnerable, surrounded in an ever growing pool of blood that Miles Edgeworth gave her his word that he would never let anyone hurt her again. Like a fool she had believed him and mere days later he had broken his promise to her. She had been at the airport confused and alone when he appeared; presenting her with the whip she had discarded at the courthouse. She remembered the cold tone he took with her, how he'd actually made her cry in public, how when she finally boarded the plane she was lost and broken and the only certainty she held was that she would walk in Miles Edgeworth's footsteps no longer._

"_Franziska?"_

"_If you're lying to me Miles Edgeworth, the consequences will be severe. You will be at my door at 7pm sharp."_

_The sincerity of the threat carried in her voice._

"_You have my word I'll be there."_

"_Good. Oh, and this is a private affair Miles, so I ask you refrain from inviting any guests."_

_By guests, Franziska meant dates. Although she was unsure if Miles was actually dating anyone at the moment, today was her birthday, and even if it was only for a few hours she wanted to have Miles to herself. It had been getting increasingly more difficult for Franziska to accept that Miles would never love her and as such she found herself taking every opportunity she could to spend time alone with him. Sadly he just couldn't see that._

"_Franziska, why do you insist on being so childish? Don't think I haven't forgotten how you ALWAYS have to be the centre of attention on your birthday. I had sincerely hoped you had grown out of such immature behaviour. I will pick you up at 7pm sharp, and I think it would be prudent for you to consider growing up between now and then."_

_*Beep*_

* * *

Miles was helpless to do anything other than watch as the ambulance sped off at high speed carrying the fading soul that was Franziska von Karma inside. Miles had wanted to travel with her but the paramedics refused him entry as it was imperative they had room to work and that they didn't waste any time if they were to stand any chance of saving her life.

"Franziska…"

As the ambulance disappeared from his sight, Miles felt a tug on his heart pulling him towards the ambulance, towards Franziska. He had been such a bastard to her earlier. He hadn't realised it then but now he knew that her childish request over the phone had been nothing more than a plea. Now he realised that all she'd really wanted for her birthday was a few hours alone with him, to pretend that he was hers.

"I-I have to go, I have to be there."

Adrian, who had been standing beside him throughout the whole ordeal, placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I understand. Miles, go to her, there may not be much time left…"

"Adrian…." He took her hand in his, "Come with me. Franziska is your best friend, and although she may not show it, you're her best friend too."

Adrian nodded. She was just as concerned about Franziska as Miles and although she would never admit it, she was dependant on Franziska. She'd perfected the art of hiding it, but the thought of losing Franziska made Adrian's blood run cold.

As she accompanied Miles to his car, her thoughts went back to the only time she'd seen Franziska as vulnerable as she was now.

* * *

_Adrian looked at her watch. _

"_6.29"_

_Adrian frowned. It wasn't like Franziska to be late without prior warning. Picking up her phone she attempted to call the young prosecutor._

_*Ring Ring*_

_*Beep Beep Beep*_

_No signal, typical. Although Adrian Andrews only lived two doors down from Franziska, she had not wanted to appear rude an impatient by paying Franziska a visit. However she quickly reconsidered this after looking at her watch again to see that the young prosecutor was now 45 minutes late. _

_Only a couple of days before, Franziska had told Adrian that she'd bought them both tickets to the theatre, more specifically to a production that Adrian had been aching to see. It had, of course, come as a complete surprise to Adrian; Franziska wasn't one for gifts or spontaneity. Franziska had of course dismissed the act as 'one of those American things'. _

_As she reached the door of Franziska von Karma, she paused. Was this really a good idea? What if Franziska was doing something important and thought Adrian was being rude? What if Adrian's co-dependency had driven Franziska away as well? _

_Biting her lip Adrian knocked on the door in front of her._

_*Knock Knock*_

_She waited but there was no answer. Was Franziska really avoiding her?_

_Adrian scolded herself for having such a silly thought. When Franziska von Karma gave someone her word, she kept to it. It was at that moment Adrian had a truly terrifying thought. What if something had happened to her?_

_Once again Adrian reached for her cell phone and hurriedly dialled a number._

_*Ring Ring*_

_*Beep*_

"_Miles Edgeworth speaking."_

"_Miles, have you heard from Franziska at all?"_

"_Ms. Andrews? No, I'm afraid I haven't heard from her since our run in at her Father's grave."_

"_You saw her there?"_

"_Yes, and she promptly stormed off. Maya and I witnessed her leaving via the rear entrance. I have to say I wasn't aware she was that well acquainted with the cities backstreets, but clearly I was mistaken."_

"_Oh….It's just that she was meant to meet me at 6 so we could go to the theatre and she didn't turn up. It's not like her to be late."_

_There was a pause._

"_Knowing Franziska like I do, she'll probably be at work in a bad mood whipping anyone foolish enough to talk to her."_

"_Thanks Miles….I'll head over there now."_

"_Not at all Ms. Andrews."_

_*Beep*_

_Adrian sighed. So Franziska HAD stood her up. Resigning herself to uncover whatever it was that had upset Franziska enough for her to break her word, Adrian made her way over to the prosecutor's office._

_It was fortunate that the apartment block they lived in was only a short walk from the prosecutor's office as Adrian didn't have a car. As such it had only taken her 15 minutes to get there and she soon found herself outside of the young prosecutor's office._

_*Knock Knock*_

_Just like at the apartment, there was no answer._

"_Franziska? Are you there? Please don't ignore me…"_

_Adrian reached forward to try the door when she was interrupted._

"_ Karma isn't in today. You should try again tomorrow."_

_The unexpected unfamiliar voice caused Adrian alarm. She turned to face the fairly short balding man, who was currently wearing a slimy sort of sneer on his face._

"_My apologies, didn't mean to make you jump. I'm Winston Payne."_

"_A-adrian Andrews."_

_She looked at the man, and after deciding he wasn't actually much of a threat, Adrian collected her nerves._

"_As I said, Karma isn't in today. Sorry."_

"_That's ok, It wasn't important…"_

_Hastily making her excuses, Adrian left, feeling more confused than before. So Franziska hadn't been at work, so where was she? As she stood outside the prosecutors building rain began to fall again._

"_God it's been on and off all day!"_

_Adrian complained as she ran for shelter, all the while trying to think of anywhere Franziska might be. It was then a sickening feeling grew in the pit of Adrian's stomach. Miles Edgeworth had told her that Franziska had stormed off from her father's grave earlier, what if something had happened to her? Desperate to find her friend Adrian called a taxi to take her to the cemetery in which Manfred von Karma was buried._

_Much to Adrian's annoyance, they had hit traffic on the way to the cemetery which had added another 20 minutes onto an already half hour journey. The sky grew darker as she searched for Manfred von Karma's grave. Adrian had decided that would be the best place to start her search as Franziska could very well have returned here. It did not take her long to spot the grand headstone adorned with the Von Karma family crest. Although she had expected it, Adrian was still disappointed to discover that she could not see the young prosecutor at her father's grave._

_Unsure of what was compelling her to do so, Adrian made her way over to the grave. As she grew closer, she caught the sight of something long and snakelike lying in front of the headstone. Panic swelled up inside of Adrian as she soon realised the snakelike object was actually a whip. Franziska never went anywhere without her whip. All rational thoughts leaving her mind, Adrian grabbed Franziska's whip and started running towards the back entrance to the cemetery. Miles had said she had left through here, gone into the back streets. What if she'd got lost? What if she'd been hurt? Glancing at her watch, Adrian ran faster realising it was now after 8 and getting darker by the minute. _

_Adrian's mind flew into auto pilot, her feet carrying her through unfamiliar streets as her undivided attention was given to finding the missing woman. She began to despair after half an hour of running. Maybe she should call for help. She reached into her pocket and retrieved her cell phone, only to find it had no signal. Stuffing her phone back into her pocket Adrian began to run again, still clutching her friends whip. It wasn't long before Adrian realised she was lost now. As fear crept in around her, Adrian felt her hand tighten on her friends whip. She hadn't been expecting it, but feeling the cool leather between her fingers gave Adrian a much needed confidence boost. She was able to defend herself and she knew it. _

_As her thoughts drifted back to her friend, as if on cue Adrian heard a scream._

"_Franziska?"_

_Making full use of her new found confidence, Adrian made her way towards the direction of the scream, stopping a few alleys' later to see her friend being held against a wall by two hooded men. She couldn't see what they were doing as they their bodies obscured most of Adrian's view, but nonetheless she needed to do something. Closing her eyes and praying that she could remember everything Franziska had taught her, she cast the whip backwards before snapping it forward._

_*CRACK*_

_As the whip bit into the air, its loud crack echoed around causing the men to stop what they were doing immediately. Releasing Franziska the two men paused before turned on Adrian. She was shocked to see that neither man looked much older than Franziska, although the both had very recognisable handprints across their faces. Adrian cast the whip again, this time causing it to hit the closer of the two men._

_*CRACK*_

_As the man stumbled backwards clutching his face, Adrian saw him say something inaudible to his partner before they both made a run for it, a steady stream of blood now visible from the man's face. Once she was sure the men had gone Adrian made her way over to her friend, letting out a loud, shocked gasp at the state of the young prosecutor._

_Franziska von Karma was slumped against the wall, curled up as best as she could manage, sobbing uncontrollably. Blood was pouring down her face from a wound on her head and her clothes had been torn open. Adrian was lost for words at the realisation of the events that had just transpired._

"_Oh god, Franziska…."_

_Taking off her coat, Adrian wrapped it around her friend, preserving her modesty. She wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly and Franziska's sobs grew harder._

"_It'll be ok, I'll get some help."_

"_N-NO!"_

_Franziska cried out, shame and fear filling her face._

"_N-no one must know about this! M-miles can n-never find out!"_

"_Franziska, you need to see a doctor, you need to tell someone. Those men need to be brought to justice!"_

_Adrian was deeply concerned for Franziska. Why didn't she want anyone to know? This wasn't like Franziska von Karma at all. Carefully she helped her friend to her feet._

"_A-adrian….as a friend….p-please, do not tell anyone of this….."_

_Adrian looked at the tear streaked face of Franziska von Karma, she could see the shame in her eyes._

"_Franziska, this doesn't make you any less perfect. You shouldn't be ashamed, you shouldn't blame yourself!"_

"_P-please….."_

_Franziska was pleading to her now. Adrian cared deeply for Franziska and couldn't bear to see her in such a state, but the pleading in her voice was too difficult for Adrian to ignore._

"_O-ok Franziska….this stays between us….I promise."_

_As momentary relief spread across Franziska's face, something felt wrong. Adrian couldn't put her finger on it, but something felt wrong about keeping this secret. Still, she had promised Franziska, and she wouldn't go back on that promise ever._

* * *

Adrian recalled that it had taken them two hours to walk home that night. Franziska had refused to get into a taxi and be seen in the state she was. Guilt coursed through Adrian as she looked at Miles. He had no idea that ever happened. Maybe if she had told him, if she had broken her promise, Miles would have realised how vulnerable Franziska was and how he truly felt about her. Adrian began to feel sick again as she realised this whole situation was her fault. If only she'd told Miles. Adrian made a silent promise to herself that if Franziska pulled through, she would make her tell Miles what had happened that night.

As the hospital grew nearer Adrian actually prayed that Franziska made it through this. Not for Adrian's or Miles sake, but for her own.

* * *

**A/N: Phew! My apologies for the delay on the update! Someone thought it would be clever to give me 3 essays! Needless to say I may have to revise the rating of this fic to M. I'm a little worried about how this chapter will be recieved and I REALLY hope it doesn't dissapoint! Apologies for any OOCness! Anyway, Enjoy!**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Wow! 10 months to update, that's CRAZY! Anyway here is the much anticipated next installment of Imperfect Love. Please bear with me on this one, I've been out of my writing groove for a long time so it may not be up to the quality of the others but I am FULLY planning to improve the quality for the next chapters! Anyway, Enjoy and of course R&R!**

* * *

Chapter 5

Again Adrian caught herself staring at the clock in the hospital waiting room. The anxiety was eating away at her from the inside as she pulled her gaze away from the clock, instead looking out of a nearby window and watching an orange glow develop in the sky as the sun started to rise.

_Sunrise…..we've been here over 4 hours….._

In those four hours, relatively little had happened. Miles, now sitting silently with his head in his hands, had, only an hour earlier, engaged in a rather heated discussion with a member of staff as to why he was not being kept up to date with Franziska's condition.

_Franziska….._

Adrian hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. As much as it pained her, Adrian new that if Franziska didn't pull through this, her world would come crashing down around her. Ever since THAT case Adrian's dependence on Franziska had steadily grown. It was only 6 months ago that Adrian had become completely dependent on Franziska.

* * *

"_Ms Andrews, how many times do you deem it necessary to ask? I gave you my word that I'd come to the fireworks display at the Gatewater just as soon as I've finished going over this case." Franziska's voice was tinged with annoyance._

"_I'm sorry Franziska….It's just that they start in an hour and I don't want you to miss them!"_

"_I am well aware of the timings Ms Andrews and I will be there in ample time."_

_A small smile graced Franziska's lips as Adrian began to stutter. Ever since her break up with Miles Edgeworth, Franziska had developed somewhat of a soft spot for Adrian. She was Franziska's first true friend and, not that she would ever show it, but Adrian was Franziska's best friend. Every week they would make time to have lunch together, touring the cities many restaurants. Occasionally Franziska would take Adrian shopping. This always embarrassed Adrian as she could never afford to buy any of the wonderful, luxury, items that she saw. This often ended up with Franziska footing the bill and Adrian, despite protests by Franziska, doing everything she could to work off the debt._

"_I-i…..I'll wait for you at the entrance to the hotel!"_

"_Very well Ms Andrews, I shall meet you there in precisely 35 minutes."_

"_Ok! See you then Franziska! Oh, and how many times do I have to tell you to call me Adrian!"_

_*beep*_

_Franziska sighed and sat back. The last time she had called Adrian by just her forename was just after Miles broke up with her. It had not been a pleasant experience for either of them and Franziska had decided that a more informal approach was best. Franziska closed her eyes for a momentary respite before committing herself to reading the rest of the case in front of her._

_Adrian had started to get cold waiting for Franziska and contemplated heading into the foyer, but before she could make the decision a familiar blue haired prosecutor walked round the corner towards her._

"_Franziska!"_

"_Ms Andrews. Shall we head inside to warm up before the display starts?"_

_Adrian stepped aside allowing Franziska to lead the way into the warmth._

_After a quick drink the two women went out to watch the display. As far as Adrian was concerned it was truly magnificent. As the display built up to the finale, it happened, the moment that would seal Adrian's dependence on Franziska forever. _

_Franziska, who up until that point had been rather enjoying the fireworks, was approached by this slightly scruffy and very annoying looking man._

"_Franzy!"_

_Franziska sighed as a very inebriated Larry Butz staggered over to her. _

"_Mr Butz, you are in no fit state to be here around dangerous explosives. Go home."_

_Contrary to her advice Larry kept advancing until eventually he tripped, falling face first into the prosecutors chest._

_*CRACK*_

_Franziska's whip bit into Larry's back with a crisp snap, as she stepped back, rage filling her face._

"_How DARE you? You are a Disgrace!"_

_Adrian, who had watched the event unfold with a trace of amusement on her face, stepped in to prevent Franziska doing something she might regret. _

"_It's ok Franziska; I'll take him inside and get security to keep an eye on him."_

"_Hmph."_

_Adrian couldn't help but giggle as she escorted Mr Butz inside. _

_As the finale came to an end, Franziska headed inside to find her friend, but to no avail. Franziska went out to the front of the building to see if Adrian had popped outside for some fresh air, but again she couldn't find her. As she headed back inside she heard a muffled scream coming from an alleyway nearby. _

_Without any hesitation Franziska started running in the direction of the scream. As she turned the corner she was horrified to be confronted by a man holding a knife to Adrian's neck._

"_Give me everything you have, and I won't hurt you…..scream again, and I'll cut you. You understand?"_

_Tears streaming down her face, Adrian nodded. Franziska couldn't believe her eyes._

_*CRACK*_

_Her whip cracked through the air making contact with the man's face._

"_Argh!"_

"_Unhand her this instance!"_

_Raising her whip, Franziska cast another lash. This time however, much to Franziska's dismay, the man caught her whip and yanked it, causing it to jerk out of her hands. Normally Franziska would have known better than to approach an armed man, but the sight of Adrian in such distress spurred Franziska to step forward._

"_I said unhand her."_

"_Or what? You haven't got your toy to protect you now little girl." _

_What could only be described as a snarl ripped across Franziska's face as she made a move to slap the man. In response to this sudden movement the man drew the knife away from Adrian and slashed at Franziska as her hand came into contact with his face. As the man stood there dazed momentarily, Franziska grabbed Adrian by the hand and pulled her to safety, standing in front of her, oblivious to the blood running down her arm._

"_Now you've done it!" The man growled at Franziska, diving towards her with the knife._

_In a moment of clarity, Franziska merely stepped aside allowing the man to collide with the wall behind her and Adrian causing him to render himself unconscious. Pulling a pair of handcuffs from her jacket pocket, Franziska restrained the man and called in the appropriate authorities only just becoming aware of the ache in her arm._

"_Adrian, are you ok?"_

_Concern flowed through every word as Franziska turned to her friend examining her for any injuries._

"_I-i…t-thank…" Adrian stopped abruptly, inhaling sharply at the sight of the young prosecutor's injury. "Franziska!...y-your arm!"_

_Franziska dismissed her injury with a wave of a hand. "It is merely a scratch Adrian, I am far more concerned about your welfare."_

* * *

A tear rolled down Adrian's cheek as the memory of that evening came to light. Franziska had shown such bravery, she had commanded respect and her strength was unrivalled by the armed man. It had been incredibly. Ever since that day Adrian idolised Franziska, finding the lines of love becoming fuzzier each day. Of course Adrian was well aware that her feelings were unrequited but it didn't matter to her. She just needed Franziska in her life, and as long as she had that, she would get through anything.

She looked over to Miles who had now began pacing again, his eyes red raw from silent tears, and his cravat undone merely draped around his neck. Adrian wondered what could have driven Franziska to have done this. It wasn't for attention else she wouldn't be on the verge of death. It obviously had something to do with her feelings for Miles, but Adrian didn't realise they were that strong. Besides, she knew Franziska had incredible control over her emotions and that it would take something considerable to make her lose control.

Adrian sifted through her memories trying to pick out a particular event that might of caused this. However, her train of thought was disturbed by Miles muttering something over and over again.

"This is all my fault, I should have seen the truth, why oh why did I have to let this happen?"

"Miles?"

Adrian got up and walked over to the now slightly frantic man, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him from pacing.

"This isn't your fault."

"It is! I was stupid, careless…I caused this…"

"Tell me what happened. Tell me why you think this is your fault."

* * *

**A/N: One final note, to all of you who also follow Forsaken, I WILL be updating that soon too. These fic's WILL be finished :P!**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Ok, so just to warn you this chapter contains an OC and it may be a little OOC. I tried my best to keep it in character but sometimes it just fails. Hopefully it's not too bad! I hope you enjoy this chapter and R&R! :D**

* * *

Chapter 6

"Adrian, I don't think it's my fault…..I know it's my fault….."

Miles frame shook as violent sobs broke through.

"I…I did something to Franziska…..something I'm not proud of….."

He took a seat and avoiding Adrian's gaze began to recount his memory of that day.

* * *

_Miles sighed._

_He had just spent a large proportion of the afternoon shopping for a birthday gift for Franziska von Karma. It was her 25__th__ birthday in 9 days and they had made plans to celebrate it in a high end restaurant. Everything was planned to perfection, there was just one thing playing on Mile's mind. _

_For the past month now he had been seeing one of the other high prosecutors. They had been keeping their relationship very quiet as to stop it from interfering with their work. This had meant keeping it hidden from Franziska as well. _

_Making his way over to his desk, Miles began to assess the amount of work he still had left to do. It was going to be a long evening, but one that Miles knew would fly past because soon he would get to see 'her'._

_As the hours passed by his hand grew more and more tired from the volume of writing he had been doing, and he had also been growing more and more annoyed with the frequency of interruptions to his work. This time it was a phone call._

_*RING*_

_*RING*_

_*RING*_

_He picked up his office phone and pressed it to his ear._

"_Prosecutor Edgeworth speaking."_

"_Fool! I know perfectly well who you are!"_

"_Ah….Hello Franziska. I trust you have a good reason to be interrupting my work."_

"_You will not treat me as a fool Miles Edgeworth! Of course it is of importance! I have a case that I need you to review as I may not be available to prosecute for it."_

"_Franziska, you NEVER give me cases because you can't handle them. What is really going on?"_

"…_.That is none of your business! You will meet me in your apartment at 8pm sharp and we will review the case."_

_Without another word Franziska had hung up on him. Again he sighed. He would arrive once he'd finished his work and not a moment before. Without giving it anymore thought, Miles returned to his work._

_As he finished filling in and filing the last evidence request form he glanced at his watch. _

"_7.30….I'll be cutting it fine."_

_As Miles began collecting his possessions there was a knock on the door._

"_Enter"_

_The door swung open revealing a young woman dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, gold buttons embellishing the front and the cuffs and a scarlet broach that was pinned to her collar where the knot of a tie would traditionally sit._

"_Valenzia!"_

_A smile swept over Miles' face as he greeted the woman offering her a seat and pushing all thoughts of Franziska out of his mind._

_Valenzia von Richter was a renowned international prosecutor. Her father had been a good friend and colleague of Manfred von Karma back in Germany. The von Richter family weren't as well known as the von Karma's but they still held an impressive social standing nonetheless._

_Valenzia had long flowing golden hair that gracefully fell to just below waist length. Her ice blue eyes were tinted ever so slightly grey, giving her an almost piercing stare, though not as formidable as Miles'. _

_As she looked up at Miles, her eyes were filled with an echo of sorrow._

_This came as no surprise to Miles. Valenzia was leaving tomorrow to prosecute a case in Russia. It was to be a very high profile case, drawn out over several days and as such it meant she would be away for at least a month. _

"_Good Luck. I hear the Russian courts are as ruthless as we are."_

_Valenzia smiled at Miles. _

_Miles felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of her smile. Valenzia had, without a doubt, been the most perfect person he had ever dated. She was funny, intelligent, hard working and not afraid to show her emotions. He walked over and sat down beside her placing his hand on hers._

"_I'll be waiting for your safe return."_

_Miles leant in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. _

"_Miles….I know you have…..standards…that you like to keep to..." Valenzia began, picking her words carefully. "But…..I….I….."_

_Miles looked at her curiously as she struggled to find the words she was looking for. It wasn't long however before Valenzia gave up on words and had pulled him close into a passionate kiss. Her hands worked swiftly at his cravat and his shirt buttons._

_Pulling away Miles looked at her in surprise. _

"_W..what do you think you are doing?"_

"_I want you Miles. Right here. I…I don't want to wait until after I get back."_

"_You know full well I won't indulge in that kind of activity in my office!"_

_If she didn't know any better, Valenzia would have said he looked almost offended. Still she persevered._

"_But Miles….this is the last time I'll see you before I leave…..please don't deny me this. We are the only remaining people in the building."_

_The plea in her voice was apparent._

"_I've wanted you for so long….and the thought of being away from you for a month is almost unbearable. Please, grant me this moment of passion, to ignite the flame in my heart and keep it burning strong whilst we're apart."_

_Miles hated to admit it, but she had a way with words. Still he felt uncomfortable partaking in such activities in the sanctuary that was his office._

_He pressed his lips against hers and slowly unpinned her broach in silent agreement to grant her this one pleasure. Despite his feeling of unease about the situation, he couldn't deny that he desired her as well._

_He let out a slight moan as her fingertips danced over his chest.  
_

* * *

"_Foolish man!"_

_Franziska von Karma was NOT in a good mood. Miles Edgeworth was meant to have been home over two hours ago to review the case that Franziska was giving him._

_After a long and arduous drive, thanks to volumes of heavy traffic, Franziska pulled up in the car park of the prosecutor's office determined to find out what was going on._

_It took the blue haired prosecutor 5 minutes to reach the top floor by stairs as she refused to ride the elevator in case Miles had left his office by the time she reached it. After a fleeting wonder of why the high prosecutors' offices had to be located on the very top floor, Franziska's mind focused on the task at hand. She took the case file out of her bag and held it in one hand, with her whip in the other before marching to Miles Edgeworth's office._

_This was to be the only time that Franziska regretted not knocking before entering his office. As she burst in through the door, the scene before her froze her to the spot._

_On the sofa, right in front of her eyes, were the naked forms of Miles Edgeworth and Valenzia von Richter clearly enjoying each other._

"_Miles Edgeworth! What on EARTH are you doing?"_

_Despite knowing full well what he was doing, they were the only words Franziska could utter before a lump grew in her throat._

_Miles jumped at the sound of her voice, removing himself from Valenzia and making himself decent. He stood in front of Valenzia to preserve her modesty before responding to Franziska's question._

"_W-what are you doing here?"_

_Franziska couldn't reply. It felt like a thousand knives were piercing her heart, he knees grew weaker and her heart grew heavy as the only man she ever loved stood half naked in front of her after enjoying another woman._

"_Y…you….BASTARD!"_

_Unable to control herself Franziska threw the case file at Miles before turning on her heels and walking away as fast as her legs could carry her. Her father had always insisted that she treat Valenzia as a rival…..and to see her….with him….it hurt, more than anything had ever hurt before. Tears streamed down her face as her knees gave way and she collapsed into a sobbing mass on the floor of the car park._

* * *

Miles finished his story by telling Adrian how he'd tried to chase after Franziska and how Valenzia thought he had something going on with Franziska and had left him, there and then.

Adrian had to fight to keep her mouth from gaping open. She had never expected this kind of behaviour from him. So reckless and unrefined.

"I….I stood Franziska up to be with Valenzia…I broke her trust….and then I broke her heart….."

His voice had started to crack.

"Miles….I…I can't believe you stood her up but…..you can't sit here blaming yourself and wallowing in self-pity. Franziska needs you. Now more than ever. If there was ever a chance to right the wrong, this is it. If she pulls through….don't waste the opportunity."

"I….I'm sorry…..I'm so sorry…."

He felt thoroughly ashamed with himself. He hadn't told Franziska that Valenzia had broken up with him since every time he spoke to her she refused to listen to him.

"Adrian….y….you don't think that she thought that's what I was doing again tonight do you?"

Before she could answer they were interrupted by a solemn looking nurse.

"I regret to inform you that Franziska has taken a turn for the worse…..we are doing everything we can for her, but we think it might be best for you to come and say your farewells."

As if in tandem, both Miles and Adrian felt their world begin to shatter.


End file.
